


Strong Children

by SecondStarOnTheLeft



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-21
Updated: 2013-02-21
Packaged: 2017-12-03 04:37:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 429
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/694232
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SecondStarOnTheLeft/pseuds/SecondStarOnTheLeft
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There must always be a Stark in Winterfell, and for the moment, there is only Bran the Broken. He is enough.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Strong Children

Robb Stark is betrayed to his death at his own wedding, betrayed and carted to King’s Landing to be executed in the same place as his father before him, but the North continues. No, more than that - the North  _remembers._

The Lannisters give Winterfell to the Boltons, thinking that a cripple and a babe will be no threat, no competition - the Lannisters think that they have won, that they need only stamp down on Stannis Baratheon’s rebellion, as they name it, and their golden boy-king will be secure on his throne.

They forget that Bran the Broken is a Stark, though, and they make the mistake of not destroying what of the Northern armies escaped what folk are calling the Red Wedding.

Bran sits in the high chair of the Starks, cold under his dead legs, and though he is a boy he has old eyes (three eyes see more than two, Bran knows, and four legs travel faster than two ever could, and his dreams are truer than any other man’s). He sees, sees more than others are comfortable with, and when he has seen he whispers to Ser Rodrick and justice is done, because Bran cannot swing the sword of justice but he will see his will done.

Bran sees all. Word of that spreads, even as far south as King’s Landing. Lannister plans are foiled, and Bran dreams of his sister bleeding, but there is little he can do just yet - he has seen her escape, and only once she is free of the lion’s den can he act.

Meera and Jojen stand just behind his chair when Stannis Baratheon’s Hand comes, blunt fingers and blunt words a relief from the cossetting and fear Bran has become accustomed to. Bran knows who his father would have supported for the throne, and so he sets aside his crown, the heavy thing he never wanted anyways, and bends the knee in spirit if not in act to the rightful heir to Robert Baratheon’s kingship. 

Rickon has terrible rages, rages that are soothed only by whispers of pack and home and finding their sisters, barely remembered, and avenging Robb and Mother and Father.

Bran sees Sansa bleed and Arya fade and shift and drift away. Bran sees the wildness grow in Rickon until one morning they all wake to find him and Shaggy and Osha gone, and Summer howls just the once before settling back against Bran’s legs.

There must always be a Stark in Winterfell, and for the moment, there is only Bran the Broken. He is enough.


End file.
